The Rowan Brothers
And Their Circle of Friends
A long musical journey comes full circle;
Now & Then hits stores internationally in September, 2004;
Featured performers include Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Phil Lesh,
and others

It's seldom that the opening track of a record encapsulates the very spirit of the record itself. But in the case of the new Rowan Brothers' release Now and Then (BOS Music), the soulful harmonies that drive the song "Circle of Friends" might as well describe the past 30-odd years of Chris and Lorin Rowan's musical journey. Indeed, the pair has traveled from obscurity to the cusp of fame and then back home again. Through the years, a strong circle of friends ranging from industry legend Clive Davis to Grateful Dead co-founder Jerry Garcia have driven the duo to hone their musical skills and reach for greater heights. In return, the Rowan Brothers have motivated everyone around them with a brilliant mix of talent and humanity.

The circle began in the early 1970s when Chris and Lorin's brother, Peter (of Earth Opera fame), introduced them to aspiring producer and instrumental genius David Grisman, who later produced Chris and Lorin's first album in 1972 under a pseudonym. After Clive Davis lost his job at Columbia, a planned second album never materialized. Enter David Geffen, who brought the duo (along with their brother Peter) into the Asylum label family. There they released three albums. Peter eventually found his way back to his bluegrass roots while Chris and Lorin soldiered on-quite literally. In fact, Lorin wrote the title track of country artist Ricky Scaggs' Grammy Award winning CD, "Soldier of the Cross." A stripped down reworking of the song, here renamed "Soldier's Cross," graces the new album as a musical segue between the new and the old.

Now, the Rowan Brothers are back with an amazing new two-disc set that showcases both the best songs of their careers as well as an incredible collection of new material. The 34-song masterpiece, Now & Then, which hits stores nationally on September 7, 2004, seamlessly slides between genres and generations to bring together many beautiful worlds of musical exploration. Disc one features 17 newly recorded songs that are laced with tight harmonies, haunting melodies and underscored by crisp guitar, mandolin and steel guitar picking. They offer a versatile and exciting mixture of bluegrass-flavored folk and Everly Brothers style rock and country. Contrasting the new tracks are 17 vintage cuts (all previously unreleased in the US and making their debut on CD). These tracks date from the duo's early 70s pop-rock forays with David Grisman. The album features an impressive cast of backing players including: Hal Blaine, Jerry Garcia, Richard Greene, David Grisman, Jim Keltner, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Mookie Siegel, Barry Sless, and many more.

The stature of the players on Now & Then is but a testament to the influences and friendships that have surrounded Chris and Lorin Rowan since they began their musical journey in the early 1970s. More than 30 years later, their music is as relevant now as it was then. Their harmonies are just as stunning as ever. Their lyrics are just as honest. And, of course, their friendships with others have brought them full circle-through this circle of friends.

The Rowans have appeared at The Kerrville Folk Fest,
TX, and Telluride Music Festival, toured extensively as The Rowan
Brothers (sometimes with brother, Peter) in the U.S. Europe, and
Japan. They’ve performed on shows with Shawn Colvin, James
Taylor, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Randy Travis, Alison Krauss, Nanci
Griffith and others, as well as on National Public Radio's Garrison
Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. Most recently the brothers performed
with Phil Lesh as members of Phil Lesh & The Hepcats’
with Lorin on lead guitar/vocals and Chris on acoustic rhythm guitar/vocals.

In 2004, The Rowan Brothers plan to tour in full support
of the new album and renew a musical journey that began three decades
ago presenting an intriguing blend of the “Now and Then.”

BOS Music is a next generation record label, which
also provides a menu of customized services for artists including
distribution, fulfillment, media relations, and promotional tour
coordination. Other BOS Music artists include Railroad Earth, Jess
Klein, and From Good Homes.
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